Southeast Texans could be waking up to a tropical mess

Tropical Storm Humberto gathered steam as he rumbled toward the Southeast Texas coast late Wednesday night, and forecasters expected near-hurricane force winds when he made landfall somewhere between Galveston and Sabine Pass in the wee hours Thursday morning.

The National Hurricane Center's 10 p.m. advisory said Humberto's center was only about 45 miles south-southwest of High Island and moving about 6 mph.

Predictions had Humberto making landfall between 3 and 4 a.m. at Sea Rim Park in Jefferson County west of Sabine Pass on Texas 87. Meteorologists were expecting tornadoes in the northeast quadrant of the storm once it makes landfall.

The National Weather Service said Humberto's winds were churning at 65 mph and gaining speed, and the storm likely would hit Southeast Texas with the force of a hurricane "in a small area close to where the center crosses the coast." Humberto's winds need to reach 73 mph for it to be considered a hurricane.

Rainfall of 5 to 10 inches still was forecast in Humberto's path, with 15 inches in some areas. Forecasters also predict a storm surge of 3 to 4 feet above normal tides near and east of the storm's center.